Targeted Therapy for the Management of Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders: A Systematic Review

Objective: This study aimed to integrate the available data published in the literature to identify and elucidate the impact of targeted therapy for oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs). Material and Methods: This systematic review was conducted according to the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) 2020 statement. An electronic search across five databases with no publication date restriction was conducted in January 2023 and subsequently updated in January 2024. Eligibility criteria included studies focusing on targeted therapies. Interventions that either did not align with the specific definition of targeted therapy or failed to meet the criteria for precision-based treatment approaches were excluded from this review. Results: Six clinical trials were identified, all conducted in the United States. The sample size ranged from 12 to 150 subjects. Celecoxib, erlotinib, cetuximab, metformin, and nivolumab were employed as targeted systemic therapies at varying doses. Some patients experienced disease progression with no statistically significant differences in histological improvement rates or size increases. Certain studies reported treatment-related toxicity. Conclusion: The findings of this review do not support the use of targeted therapy in managing OPMDs, highlighting the need for additional clinical trials to further evaluate their efficacy.